Seasons of Competition: Spring Season Competition CASE STUDY: ERIN AND SANDY
[Note: This is intended to only be a guide. Coaches and student-athletes should
communicate with the four-year institution they are working with before
transferring.]
Case Study: Erin
Erin is in high school (graduating in May) and competed with the Two-Year Bears
representing the Two-Year Bears in a tournament prior to graduating from high
school. She is not enrolled at the Two-Year. She did not receive expenses to
travel or compete with the Two-Year Bears.
Did Erin use a season of eligibility because she is representing the Two-Year
Bears?
ANSWER: Per NCAA Bylaw 14.2.3.1.2, a student-athlete may compete during
the segment of the playing season that does not conclude with the regular season
championship without using a season of competition, provided the student-athlete
was eligible. This NCAA legislation needs to be met in order for Erin to be
exempt from applying the legislation.
Although Erin may not have used a season of eligibility, she has triggered
transfer status per NCAA Bylaw 14.5.2. Therefore, if Erin would decide to attend
a different institution the following fall, she would be considered a transfer
student-athlete.
Case Study: Sandy
Sandy is a senior in high school (graduating in May) and competed with the Club
Team Tigers in a tournament prior to graduating. She was not representing any
two-year institution although competed with current student-athletes from the
local two-year institution. The teams she was competing against in this
tournament were other Division I, II and III institutions.
Did Sandy use a season of eligibility because she competed with other
student-athletes from a local two-year institution?
ANSWER: As long as the Club Team Tigers is not affiliated with any other
collegiate team and it's considered an amateur team (NCAA Bylaw 12.1), Sandy has
not used a season of competition.
Another key point to remember is that the outside competition described in this
case study needs to have met NCAA Bylaw 14.7 (see below) so that Sandy is not
rendered ineligible for intercollegiate competition at the NCAA level.
14.7.1 Outside Competition -- Sports Other Than Basketball
A student-athlete in any sport other than basketball who participates during the
academic year as a member of any outside team in any noncollegiate, amateur
competition becomes ineligible for intercollegiate competition unless
eligibility is restored by the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement. A
student-athlete is permitted to practice on such a team.
14.7.1.1 Exception
A student-athlete may compete outside of the institution's declared playing and
practice season as a member of an outside team in any noncollegiate, amateur
competition during any official vacation period published in the institution's
catalog. The number of student-athletes from any one institution shall not
exceed the applicable limits set forth in Bylaw 17.31.2.
14.7.1.2 Exception -- Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Field Hockey and Men's
Water Polo
In soccer, women's volleyball, field hockey and men's water polo, a
student-athlete may compete outside of the institution's declared playing and
practice season as a member of an outside team in any noncollegiate, amateur
competition, provided:
(a) Such participation occurs no earlier than May 1;
(b) In soccer, women's volleyball and field hockey, the number of
student-athletes from any one institution does not exceed the applicable limits
set forth in Bylaw 17.31.2;
(c) The competition is approved by the institution's director of athletics;
(d) No class time is missed for practice activities or for competition; and
(e) In women's volleyball, all practice and competition is confined to doubles
tournaments in outdoor volleyball, either on sand or grass.
